1

A Report on

“Participating and Conducting Meeting”

Presented by:

21041: Riya Patel

21019: Jainam Gandhi

21017: Himanshu Dhar

21044: Sarafali Canwala

21039: Purvesh Tahelyani

Submitted to:

Dr. Darshana R. Dave

In fulfilment for the subject

Of

MANAGEMENT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

SARDAR PATEL UNIVERSITY VALLABH VIDHYANAGAR
2021-23
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PREFACE

Every study is incomplete without having a well concrete exposure, of the research. Student
of management are successfully processed and refined through the mean of final report so
that they may have a complete exposure to present scenario. As a part of the MBA
curriculum and in order to gain academic knowledge in the field of management, we are
required to make a report on “Participating and Conducting Meeting”. I have done a lot of
hard work despite of all my sincere efforts. This is the possibility that there may be some
areas which may remain uncovered. I thank to all those who help one directly or indirectly in
preparing my research.

Doing this project helped us to enhance our knowledge regarding work attitude and getting
valuable insight of corporate culture. Through this report we come to know about importance
of team work and role of devotion towards work.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Darshana Dave who gave us this opportunity to
do this wonderful project on topic “Participating and Conducting Meeting”. She guided us in
doing this project. She also provided us with invaluable advice and helped us in difficult
periods. Her motivation contributed tremendously to the successful completion of the project.

Secondly, I am over helmed in all humbleness and gratefulness to acknowledge my depth to

all those who have helped me to put these ideas, well above the level of simplicity and into
something concrete. I would also like to thank my friends and team mates who helped me a
lot in finishing this project within the limited time.
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Table of Contents

Contents Page Number

Introduction 05

Definition 05

Meeting Participation 05

Importance of Meeting Participation 06

Types of Meeting 10

Conducting Meeting 11

Purpose of Meeting 12

Objectives of Meeting 14

Participants in Meeting 16

Agenda 19

Lay Groundwork for Success 22

Reliable Process of Meeting 23

Follow-up 31

Conclusion 33

Bibliography 34

Introduction
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In Old English, meeting stems from the word ‘metan’ – which means to come upon. When
we think of the word ‘come upon’, ideas of an unexpected encounter arise. We end up in yet
another unproductive meeting. However, not all meetings are an attack by surprise. In fact,
it’s worse. We often plan and fixed them ahead of time. We carve our schedules around these
encounters.

Definition

A meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the purpose of
achieving a common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching
agreement. Meetings may occur face-to-face or virtually, as mediated by communications
technology, such as a telephone conference call, a skype conference call or a
videoconference.

 Make a focus statement

 Ensure that meeting roles are understood

 Ensure the group or the team uses agenda

 Take time to prepare, participate and perform

Meeting Participation

Participation, in a meeting context, described as cooperative effort to give input, make

decisions, resolve issues, and assign actions together.

While facilitation and the appropriate meeting structure can increase participation, it is
ultimately the individual attendee's responsibility to make sure he or she participates
effectively. Lack of participation from one or more attendees is considered a meeting
dysfunction.
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Importance of Meeting Participation

1. Increased Engagement and Collaboration:-When led well, meetings offer each person
the opportunity to participate and provide input. To engage each individual, effective
presenter focus on asking questions and guiding the conversation so that everyone
understands that their perspectives and ideas are valued.  These discussions can even spark
collaborative brainsto rming sessions that produce new ideas and creative solutions.

Practical Tip
When preparing for a meeting, create a list of questions that will help stimulate discussion. If
there are particular people who don’t regularly speak up, ask them to share their input with
the group. 

2. Increased Accountability:-A good meeting leader is skilled at creating an environment in

which everybody feels that their contribution is valued. This helps make participants feel
more comfortable taking on assignments and makes it clear that every task has an impact on
the project as a whole.  Committing to a task in a meeting often has more weight than doing
so in a one-on-one situation or via email. When saying “yes” to an assignment in a meeting,
individuals feel more accountable to the group and are more motivated to complete their
piece of the project. Capturing action items and responsibilities in the meeting also increases
personal accountability because the team will be able to review the task assignments in the
meeting notes.

Practical Tip
Conclude every meeting by summarizing the list of action items, including who is responsible
for them and when the tasks are due. After the meeting, follow up via email or your project
management tool to reinforce the commitments that were made.
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3. A shared sense of purpose:-Clearly stating the purpose of the meeting and providing an
agenda in advance ensures that everybody is on the same page about why it is being held and
what they need to do to come prepared.  A skilled leader then uses the agenda to keep the
discussion moving in the direction of the team’s goals. Sharing the agenda and goals with the
team provides a shared sense of purpose because everyone understands the importance of the
meeting and why they have been included. This shared purpose is motivating both during the
meeting and after, when the team disperses to work on their individual action items.

Practical Tip
When inviting people to a meeting, provide an agenda within the invite that clearly defines
the meeting objectives. During the meeting, if the conversation starts to wander, circle back
to those objectives to keep the meeting on track.

4. Opportunities for Personal Growth:- A truly effective meeting creates opportunities for
each person to develop important skills. The facilitator is refining their leadership skills by
practicing effective communication techniques and motivating the group to be accountable
for their commitments.  Participants are able to witness the benefits of a well-run meeting and
adopt the skills and behaviours modelled by the leader. An effective meeting also enables
participants to challenge themselves and try something new. When tasks are being discussed
and assigned, participants can volunteer to take on the work that interests them most. Even if
they have limited knowledge or experience, they can join a group that will allow them to
learn and develop their skills in that area.

Practical Tip
To help individuals learn new skills, pair newer employees up with more experienced team
members and give them a challenging task to complete as a team. This enables the less
experienced individuals to learn from the expertise of their partners and gain new skills in a
supportive and productive way.

Tips for effective meeting

 Plan and structure meetings:- All meetings need some structure, so publish the
objective and an agenda up front even if it’s just a few key bullet points (with
guideline time slots, ideally). Pick a sensible timeframe but err on the short side;
typically, meetings will fill the time allocated for them. Also, longer meetings are
harder to fit into people’s busy schedules. Avoid contiguous meetings wherever
possible—those that attend several in a row will lose much of what they took away
from the first few. There is no ideal length for a meeting; duration depends on
purpose, but 30 minutes is a good default. (Regular meetings that run for several
hours and tie up a large team are really only worthwhile if you’re involved in
negotiating an international peace treaty or planning a space mission).
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 Organize the information: - Prep and publish any supporting information early so it
can be reviewed by the attendees ahead of the meeting. You’re unlikely to get sign-off
on a 200 page technical spec if the first version they see is the monster hard copy you
hand out at the start.

 Design ways to prompt input from each attendee:-If people have been invited to a
meeting, then expect them to participate. Participating will validate each person’s part
in the process and ultimately to the outcome. This gives each person ownership of the
outcome.

 Create a group list of “norms” for process together:-If the group meets on an
ongoing basis or on a regular schedule, then it might be a good idea to develop a set
of operational guidelines for how the group process works and how decisions will be
made.

 Record the group’s information where all can see:-Writing down ideas gives
validation to the ideas contributed. A visual record will also remind the group of the
data generated keeping it present for making better decisions. Be sure to record ideas
and concepts exactly as they are stated. Do not interpret or put in your “two cents
worth.” Record first, judge or sort later—this is especially important when the
material is sensitive, challenging, or complex.

 Do not adjourn without setting accountability standards:-If actions are needed,

assign responsibility and a completion date for each item. Good ideas will only
materialize into results when they are a part of an action plan. Agree on the next
step(s) or next meeting date before ending the meeting.

As people are invited to attend the meeting, they should be instructed to bring their
calendars. This is one reason why: affirm the participants and their contributions.
Review the list of deliverables to validate your success.

 Never try to dominate: - You’ve probably led one of those meetings where someone
talks, and talks, and talks — and no one else can get a word in edgewise. It’s
annoying, and potentially damaging to team morale. Of course, you can’t always
expect that everyone will contribute, but there are ways you can encourage broader
participation. When you open the meeting, let the group know that you want everyone
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to speak up. Whenever someone is interrupted, double back and ask them to finish
what they were saying.

 Do your homework:-The meeting facilitator must do a little homework: What you do

before and after the heart of the meeting -- the preparation, wrap-up and follow-up --
makes all the difference.

Styles of Meeting

The style of a meeting normally refers to the location or layout of a meeting.

It is aimed around the level of interaction and passing of information within the meeting.

Meeting styles will normally include:

 Round table

 Lecture

 Seminar

 Conference

 Congress

 Exhibition or trade show

 Workshop

 Training course

 Promotional event

 Telephone conference call

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 Video conference

Types of Meetings

The 2013 act has comprehensively discussed the various types of meetings and the rules and
regulations concerning them. As well as the procedure of calling a meeting and the
responsibilities of the officers concerned.
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Table 1.1

Board Meetings: The meeting of directors are called board meetings and are especially
important as the control of the company lies with the directors. They meet frequently to
discuss the working of the company. These meetings must have a purpose, must be held with
proper notice as well as have an effective chair. It must also be documented.

Meeting of Shareholders: These meetings can be classified into four types namely:

i. Statutory meeting: The first Annual General Meeting of a company is called a

statutory meeting. It was a compulsory provision now it is discretionary.

ii. Annual General Meeting: As the name suggests this meeting is conducted once
every year for all kinds of companies (private, Public etc.) except a one-person
company.
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iii. Extraordinary General Meeting: There are certain matters of the company which
need to be discussed urgently and cannot wait till the next AGM. For this purpose, a
provision for Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM) exists in section 100.

iv. Class Meeting: In these types of meeting only a particular class of shareholders
attend and decide on issues which are only binding to their particular class.

Meeting of debenture holders: A particular class of debenture holders conduct this type of
meeting to discuss changes in their rights etc.

Meeting of Creditors: These types of meetings are not exactly meeting of the company as
creditors are usually outsiders. A meeting of creditors is organized by the company to
formulate schemes or even in case of voluntary winding up.

Conducting Meetings

A productive meeting doesn’t necessarily begin when everyone arrives. It begins at the time
designated. Once it’s time to begin, successful leaders manage meeting skilfully by
maintaining a productive environment, sticking to agenda, encouraging participation and
protecting minority opinions. Whether you are manager, supervisor, team leader or employee,
conducting a meeting gives you the opportunity to share ideas and information, collaborate
with your co-workers and address important issues and goals. Knowing how to properly
conduct a meeting helps you run your organisation more efficiently.

Overview of Meeting
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Sample-1.1

Purpose of Meeting

Many business professionals spend an extraordinary amount of their working time in

meetings, all of this time spent should drive extraordinary results. Excessive, unnecessary
meetings are a waste of time for the employee and the organization. Step 1 focuses on how to
determine if a meeting is necessary, presents tips for defining meeting objectives, and
describes the types of meetings and special considerations for each type.

In essence meetings are planned events with some forum of structure and purpose are
designed to:
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Collaborative Culture: - Collaborative culture promotes the sharing of best practices, so we

can make the most of everyone’s expertise. A collaborative culture values the idea that we are
better together. Collective intelligence drives the most creative solution.

Get alignment towards a specific range of topic: - The goal of the meeting is to ensure
team alignment and ensure all team members are on the same page. In the meeting specific
work alignment is done.

Provide information: - If meeting is being conducted there will be information sharing.

Speaker and listeners will provide information to each other otherwise what is to do by
conducting the meeting, and the information related can be of any type of work.

Brainstorm Ideas: - Brainstorming is a group creative process together a new idea and
explores alternative, approaches to reach a solution. It is possible that a person can give better
performance than he works in team, someone can perform better in team than working alone.
Someone who gets their best ideas in quite place, they can do research and share in meeting
so that more discussion can be done for opinions.

Exchange ideas and thoughts:-Meeting is not speech it is conservation between group of

people so the one of the main purpose of meeting is to exchange ideas and thoughts,
sometimes in a small meetings, some revolutionary idea can come up with good solutions.

Reach confirmation and agreement: - When project is completed but for final confirmation
and agreement there will be need of formal meeting.

Assign accountability and actions: -Meeting accountability means everyone in the room
is responsible for the meeting and its outcomes. It means the meeting is driven by every
attendee — each with an equal role in actively participating and stepping up to take on tasks
that help the group get work done.

Decide on further action or strategy: - Any action items from the meeting should be
properly documented and communicated. Determine who’s responsible for them and also set
target deadlines for completion. You also need to set how you’re going to follow up on these
action items.

Review and monitor existing programs: - Finally, anyone on the team can bring forward
any issues that they want to discuss. This could include new opportunities to consider,
prioritization of product features, potential partnerships, or internal HR issues. Everything is
fair game and we try to come up with resolutions and next steps for any issue that’s brought
up. We’ve found that this type of open-ended discussion really helps generate new ideas and
brings different perspectives from managers of different teams.
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Objectives of Meeting

The intention of meetings will normally be dictated by the outcome to be reached including:

Problem Solving: - Teams use Problem Solving Meetings to analyze a situation and its
causes, assess what direction to take, then create an action plan to resolve the problem.
Problem Solving Meetings are oriented around solving either a specific or general problem,
and are perhaps the most complex and varied type of meetings. At problem solving meetings
the outcome is often an important decision and thus these meetings can be crucial to the
development of a team or product.

Decision Making: - A Decision Making Meeting is used by teams when they need to
formally agree on a significant decision and secure commitment to act on that decision. By
involving a group in making a decision you can rely on collective intelligence; knowledge
beyond what is possible with individual decision makers. Because each participant has
unique information and perspectives, combining group information leads to more informed
decisions.

Feedback or Follow-up Meeting:- By creating a clear and honest communication flow

during any kind of teamwork, it saves you the time of correcting someone's work, reduces
errors caused by miscommunication to a minimum, and prevents regrets of those who feel
like they failed. Asking for feedback helps the leader improve and sends a message about the
importance of meeting quality to meeting participants. Meeting feedback is typically
collected just before ending the meeting, as the last or next to last item on the agenda, or
directly following the meeting using a meeting feedback form.

Preparing ahead of time: - Begin on time and stick to the agenda. Allow attendees to
contribute ideas, but don't let the meeting get off track. Keep an eye on the clock to make
sure the entire agenda gets covered in the time allowed. Appoint a person to take notes during
the meeting.

Manage difficult situation and Obstacles: - When it comes to dealing with difficult people,
especially in the workplace, it's not an easy task. It takes confidence and great self-esteem to
deal with this type of situation. Also, there is always both a right way and a wrong way to
deal with difficult situations. First and foremost, when you find yourself face to face with a
difficult person, do not allow yourself to get pulled in to the drama. Also, never be
judgmental or try to correct their way of thinking. These tactics just won't work. People are
people and all of us have different ways that we deal with things; we obviously don't all think
the same way -- hence the reason there are so many challenging situations in all areas of life.
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Participants in Meeting

INTRODUCTION:-

When we decide on the people who need to be invited to a meeting, there are certain
questions before that needs to be answered.

¡) Will that person play an active role in the meeting that is will he speak, share information
or make a presentation?

¡¡) Are the meeting topics relevant to the person?

¡¡¡) Does that person actually needs to be there at the meeting to receive information or can it
be delivered to them in another format?

 Some people want to attend to satisfy their egos. Others want to be there to get
firsthand knowledge of what happens in the meeting. In some cases, a strong negative
attitude might develop if a particular individual is not invited to the meeting. So, at
times it is important to invite participants just because they want to be there.

 Participants in meetings are the extensions of the leader in many ways; they should
contribute as much as possible to the agenda items, create a comfortable environment
for others to share their ideas and keep track of the allotted time so the meeting can
end promptly.

 After identifying the participants, the next step involves determining what you need to
know about each person to accomplish the meeting's stated objectives as well as
identifying what each person's responsibilities for the meeting will be. For example,
do you need
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 To know in advance whether each participant has experience with the type of project
to be discussed?

 To be aware of what each person's expectations are concerning the initiative?

 Someone to provide specific background information?

 Someone else to come prepared with suggestions and ideas for discussion?

 The participants to read a report and be able to discuss it intelligently?

You also have to determine if you need everyone to attend the entire meeting or only a part of
it.

 To use people's time most effectively, perhaps structure the agenda so that people not
needed for the entire meeting are listed first on the agenda so that they can participate
and then leave the meeting when it is no longer relevant for them to continue to stay.

 When participants are only needed for one item, another option for them is to stand by
until the group reaches that item on the agenda.

In order to achieve those outcomes in an orderly and fair manner, certain positions or roles
are assigned to certain participants.

Key roles are generally:

Chairperson

 It is the chairperson’s responsibility to ensure the meeting’s purpose is achieved 

 There are two ways the Chairperson can attain their position, they can either be
elected or they can be appointed 

 The position is also chosen based on experience, responsibility or seniority.

Some of their key responsibilities include:

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 They liaise with the secretary regarding the next agenda and contribute to its
final copy

 They ensure that the minimum number of people are present so that the
meeting can take place

 They open the meeting by welcoming participants

 They make sure someone is taking the minutes.

Secretary

The secretary’s position is integral to the efficient functioning of a meeting. Their duties are
numerous and their tasks can be broken down into:

Before the meeting taking place, they will be responsible for:

 Drawing up the agenda and sending out notices of meetings

 Preparing items and organising correspondence

 Ensuring there is enough seating.

During the meeting, they will be responsible for:

 Taking a record of who is present, absent and reading out apologies for those absent.

 Read out the minutes from the previous meetings and any correspondence as a result
of previous minutes.

 Take notes and minutes.

 Action incoming and outgoing correspondence.

After the meeting, they will be responsible for:

 Writing up the minutes from the previous meeting notes.

 Following up on any correspondence.

 Completing any tasks given from meeting.

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 Preparing for the next meeting.

Treasurer

A treasurer is in charge of ensuring the finances of the organisation are kept in order. They
must:

  Ensure bills are paid.

 Confirm income is deposited into the bank.

 Report to the meeting on issues of finance.

 Provide participants with financial position of organization.

The Recorder

 Works with Leader to develop Agenda.

 Distributes Agenda before meeting.

 Records key decisions, conclusions and action items.

 Compile notes into standard formatting.

 Distributes notes and conclusions.

 Also performs all participants’ responsibilities.

Director of Department

 The role of a development director is to develop and implement a strategic plan to

raise vital funds for their organization in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner.

 The development director's primary responsibility, however, is to oversee

fundraising, rather than to actually raise money.
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 The Director of Development reports to the President/CEO. The Director of

Development supervises a team of 3-4 development and administrative managers and
associates

Development Assistant

 The business development assistant provides support to an organization’s

development team to ensure timely and consistent delivery of core company services
to its clients and investors, towards ensuring that potential and existing clients and
investors remain satisfied with the company’s brand.

 His/her job description also involves contributing to delivery of service, coordination

of other members of staff, and making plans towards achieving company’s goals and
ideals. His/her roles in business development activities are simply immeasurable.

 The assistant reports directly to the business development manager and he/she may be
asked to deputize for or represent the manager when the latter is not available to get
the tasks done.

 The business development assistant can be required to undertake training for newly
employed members of staff and may also monitor seminars, webinars, workshops, and
such likes on behalf of the manager.

 He/she is required to monitor business outreaches designed to introduce the

organization’s products and services to the outside world, towards winning new
clients for the company.

 He/she is also required to communicate to other members of staff the expectations of

the management from them and to oversee their activities at work to ensure
compliance with such expectations.

Other Participants:-

Leader
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The leader’s role is to start the meeting, ensure that the agenda is follow with smooth
transitions between agenda items and to conclude the meeting.

Recorder

The recorder role is crucial to ensure that key ideas, themes and actions are recorded for all
to see.

Timekeeper

The timekeeper keeps everyone on track with agreed timings for each agenda item, whilst
also making appropriate contributions to any discussion.

Facilitator

As much as possible the group should identify someone with accomplished facilitation skills
for this role.

The role of facilitator can be challenging and may not be required for every group situation.
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Agenda

 An agenda is simply a list of things to be discussed at a meeting.

 The agenda serves as a blueprint –a master roadmap to navigate the meeting to its
final destination.
 Most agendas take the shape of a one-page document and are given out to the
expected participants, prior to the meeting.

Preparing Agenda
 Contact the Chairperson of the meeting
 Identify topics for discussion at the next meeting
 Note the topics on the agenda
 Confirm all agenda topics and sequence order
 Confirm participants to be invited
 Obtain participant contact details, addresses and or email numbers so that the
agenda can be distributed prior to the meeting.
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Sample 2.1

Enterprise Application Subcommittee May 29, 2015

AGENDA:

1. Introductions ALL 5 min

 
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2. Overview of structure and purpose VALENTER 10 min

• WSU Strategic Plan (attached)

• ITEB

• ITSAC

• Enterprise Subcommittee (attached) 

3. Discussion about projects and processes VALENTER/ALL 30 min

ITS Project Review (attached)

• ITS Scoring Rubric – Background (attached)

• Case study for discussion – University

Technology/Help Desk (attached)

4. Discussion about role in Enterprise Applications VALENTER 5 min

– upcoming Human Resources/Finance enterprise

 

5. Path forward/logistics VALENTER 5 min

• Collaborate site

• Meetings

• Availability/willingness to serve

 New Business ALL 5 min

Sample 2.2

Meeting flow chart (Based on Agenda)

There is a common meeting flow chart that is used to ensure all aspects of a meeting are
covered including:

 Open the meeting

 Apologies
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 Minutes of the previous meeting

 Business arising from the minutes

 Correspondence

 Reports

 General business

 Any other business

 Closing meeting

Lay the Groundwork for Success

The next step in the process is to create a meeting agenda. The agenda serves as a blueprint-a
master roadmap to navigate the meeting to its final destination, that is, the desired business
goals. This step outlines the key components of every meeting: opening, transitions, ground
rules, role definitions, how to guide the meeting, use of a parking lot to keep the meeting on
track, and techniques for generating discussion.

Establish ground rules

Four simple ground rules are:

 Allow people to participate

 Focus on the topic

 Maintain momentum

 Try to reach closure

Communicating ground rules

In order for people to remember the ground rules the chairperson may decide to:

 List your primary ground rules on the agenda

 Review them periodically or when new participants come to meetings

 Keep the ground rules posted on documents

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Identify Appropriate Facilities

No matter how great the agenda and planned activities are, if the meeting room is too hot, too
small, or too dark and dreary, then as the meeting leader you will fight an uphill battle to
make the meeting productive. This step focuses on planning and setting up the meeting
environment to facilitate discussion and idea generation.

Use a Reliable Process to Facilitate the Meeting

When starting a meeting, it is always important to keep in mind what you are trying to
achieve. Depending on the type of meeting, leaders often need to use a variety of facilitation
techniques to engage participants to get them to identify problems, generate ideas, and
discuss how to implement the most viable solutions. In these cases, meeting leaders assume
the role of facilitators and must leverage a different set of skills activities to guide the group
to accomplishing the defined goals. This step focuses on conducting a meeting using a
defined set of processes and tools for facilitating groups.

PREPARATION: - Before the meeting

There are a number of things that the secretary needs to know before a meeting. The most
important are:

 Who is expected to make the arrangements for the meeting, including finding
a venue and arranging for suitable refreshments and any AV facilities? This is
often the secretary.
 Who is responsible for preparing the agenda? Each chair will have their own
preference, but this is also usually a secretarial responsibility, working with
the chair.
 The secretary has a role in making sure that the agenda is not overloaded,
which may include discussing with the chair and others what could be
postponed to a later meeting, and what could be covered in a written report.
 What is the process for clearing the notes for publication? Some chairs like to
approve minutes before they are sent further, while others prefer them to be
circulated to several key attendees at the same time.
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On the Day of the Meeting

On the day of the meeting, there are several things that the secretary will need to do:

 Make sure that you know who is expected to attend the meeting. If the building has
security guards, you may need to provide a list of attendees.
 Get to the venue early and check that everything is OK. If you’re responsible for the
meeting arrangements, make sure that everything is there, the room is laid out
correctly, any AV equipment is working, there are enough chairs, and any
refreshments have arrived.
 You may want to give some thought to who sits where, and even mark our a seating
plan, as this makes a huge difference to the way that the meeting runs. You should
ensure that the chair is sitting centrally and that you are seated next to them.
 Make sure you have plenty of spare copies of papers for those who haven’t brought a
copy. If there are a lot of papers it may be appropriate to arrange them in a folder
using page/section numbers so that participants can easily find papers related to the
current discussion.
 If you are using name badges, set them out in alphabetical order on a table by the
door, where attendees can pick them up as they arrive.

Closing Meeting

 Confirm key decisions and next steps. The article specifies to recap the decisions
made, who will be accountable for what, the plan for action and timetables, and
communication. This guarantees each individual leaves knowing exactly what they
are in charge of, when it is expected to be completed, and how to communicate
progress to the other team members.
 Develop communication points. Make sure that each participant knows how to
communicate what happened at the meeting. The article suggests asking, “What are
the most important things we accomplished in our time here together?” By doing this,
you provide some review and help your team be consistent about what happened,
what can be discussed, and what can’t.
 Gather session feedback. Never end a meeting without gathering feedback. Too often
this step is skipped because it is counted as unimportant or as a waste of time. By
gathering feedback, you show initiative that you want these meetings to be as efficient
and effective as possible.
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Supporting the Process

It is the job of the chair to manage the process of the meeting, but there are several things that
the secretary can do to help. These include:

 Quietly pass a note to the chair highlighting any issues with the timing of the agenda,
or slippage, or when coffee is due to arrive.
 Recap and summarise the discussion. This is particularly helpful when people are
starting to make the same points again.
 Ask for clarification of a particular point if you don’t understand it. The chances are
that if you don’t, others won’t either and, anyway, you need to understand it to
minute it correctly.
 Once an action has been agreed, check who is going to undertake it. It is not
uncommon for a meeting to agree that action is necessary, and what that action is,
without assigning who is responsible for it.

Quorum:
Quorum means the minimum number of persons who being entitled to attend a meeting must
be present at the meeting so that the business of the meeting can be transacted validly. Such a
number is desirable so that a meeting gets a representative character and no decisions are
taken with a very small number of persons being present.

At the same time the quorum shall not be too big so that a meeting falls through on account
of small attendance.
 29

Features of Quorum:

(1) What shall be the quorum for different types of meetings of an organisation are usually
mentioned in its bye-laws or in the Articles of Association in case of a company? Some
statutes also make such provisions. For example Sec. 174 of the Companies Act makes such
provisions. The bye-laws or the Articles cannot provide smaller quorum than what are
provided in the statutes, if any.

(2) A meeting cannot be started if quorum is not present. The quorum might be continuously
present. If any member or members leaves or leave earlier and by that the quorum falls, then
any decision taken afterwards will not be binding, if the by-laws or Articles so provide.

(3) It is the duty of the chairman to see that the quorum is present. The secretary helps him in
counting the quorum. If at the middle of the meeting quorum falls, any member present may
draw the attention of the chairman to this fact by raising a ‘point of order’.

(4) If quorum is not present at the scheduled hour of a meeting already notified, then the
members present will wait for half an hour.
 30

The General Patterns of Quorum:-

 Every company in its Articles of Association or an association in its bye laws or a

Committee or Sub-Committee in its own rules and regulations usually provides what
shall be the quorum for the different kinds of meetings to be held under it. The
quorum for a general meeting is usually one-fourth or one-third of the total number of
members or a fixed number like ten, fifteen etc. taking into consideration the total
strength of the members.
 The Companies Act is very liberal and provides that if nothing is mentioned in the
Articles then any two members in case of a private company and any five members in
case of a public company, present in person at a general meeting, shall make the
quorum.
 The quorum for the meeting of an important committee, like the Executive Committee
or Managing Committee, is generally fixed at one-third. The Companies Act provides
that the quorum for Board meeting, if nothing is provided in the Articles, shall be one-
third or two whichever is bigger.
 The directors themselves at the first Board meeting may fix the quorum for Board
meetings. In some special cases, the quorum is fixed at a big percentage of the total
number of members. For example, the quorum for a class meeting in a company is
very often fixed by the Articles to be two- thirds or three-fourths or all the
shareholders belonging to that class.
 Sometimes all the members make the quorum. For example, in a private company
having only two directors, both the directors shall make the quorum at a Board
meeting. Again, in a private company having only two shareholders, both the
members shall make the quorum at a general meeting.

Opening Meeting

 Always start on time and state that sticking to the agenda and its timeline is important

 Welcome attendees and thank them for their time

 Make introductions

 Clarify your role in the meeting

 Review the agenda

 Allocate someone to take minutes

 Start the meeting in a positive and enthusiastic manner

 31

Maintaining Control

The three most common reason meetings get out of control are:

 Disagreements and differences of opinion when making decisions

 Talking about topics that are not relevant

 Spending too much time on a particular agenda item, at the expense of other items

Open and Constructive Communication

 Meetings are only as good as the ideas that the participants bring forward

 Great ideas can come from anyone in an organization, not just its managers

 It is no point having people attend meetings if there are not able to express their
views, opinions or suggestions

 As the chairperson, it is your role to ensure everyone is given a fair opportunity to

participate in meetings

Confidentiality

 Many people generally have reservations about being honest and open if they know
what they say is relayed to others after the meeting

 Critical comments, may be an important aspect of a meeting topic and the basis for
ways to improve performance

 They are vital to a meeting and should be encouraged

 Establish a ground rule in relation to confidentiality

 Meetings are the most common place to address problems that exist in the workplace

 In order to find a suitable solution, it is important to understand the causes and why
things were said, or done in a certain way

 Focus on problem, not to lay blame

 Concentrate on facts not emotions

 32

 Focus on finding a solution

Equal Opportunity to Contribute

 Refer to the ground rules, which should include guidelines on listening and allowing
others to speak
 Allocate times for each person to contribute
 Provide small group opportunities that afford more people the chance to speak
 If a person is constantly interrupting, whether on purpose or unintentionally, handle
the situation in private

This contribution could come in the form of:

 Making a presentation
 Providing expert advice
 Providing feedback or suggestion
 Providing criticism
 Providing acceptance and approval

Conducting Meeting within Timelines

It is important that the original meeting topics, as identified in the agenda, be introduced,
discussed and acted upon within the predetermined time frame.

One of the most difficult tasks a Chairperson has is time management. 

Time management techniques

 Only include items that are required in meetings

 Allocate tasks to be completed before meetings
 Start on time and end on time
 Allocate and notify times
 Ask participants to help with time management
 Allow time to decide
 Allocate to new meeting
 33

Manage Difficult Situations and Participants

Maintaining control of a meeting is much tougher when a participant behaves rudely or

inappropriately. The focus here is on strategies for identifying group dysfunction and difficult
participants and guidelines on when and how to intervene appropriately and resolve conflicts.

Strategies to Resolve Conflicts in meetings

The phrase "managing conflict" may be a bit of a misnomer when leading meetings. The fact
is, conflicts are characteristic of meetings, and effective teams often expect them- and in fact
even welcome them to ensure that the group is having a healthy discussion and airing all
ideas and proposing solutions.

If conflicts are defined as differences or disagreements, then they are a natural part of group
work and meeting processes. However, meeting leaders must skilfully walk a fine line to
encourage conflict and opinions while avoiding destructive conflict and behaviours.

When managing and resolving conflicts, consider these guidelines:

 Communicate the process of how an activity or discussion is going to work during

the meeting, and then guide the participants in following the process.
 Break problems or issues down into smaller, more manage able pieces to get into a
detailed level or discussion and analysis
 Be supportive, encouraging, and look for shared goals and win-win situations.
 Actively listen to participants' views and pose open-ended questions for them to drive
the conversation and ideas to a deeper level
 Openly praise group members who are willing to suggest new and different
approaches; clarify alternatives and avoid jumping to a single solution or answer too
quickly
 Analyze why conflicts keep occurring-usually participants aren't fighting about what
they say they are fighting about.
 34

 Encourage individuals to take the initiative to change personally.

 Encourage active, unbiased listening. At times, what seems to be a conflict is in fact
not a conflict at all --- rather, it is a breakdown in communication.
 When this happens, pause and rephrase what you believe you understood from a
participant or several participants to clarify all views.

This not only benefits you as the team leader but also the rest of the participants who will
better follow the discussion and develops a clearer understanding of the positions of other
group members. This is a key step in resolving conflict.

Follow Up Meeting

 For maximum productivity and follow through, be sure to follow up after the meeting
is done
 Although you may be working with a team of self-starters, remember that busy
workers can be pulled in different directions and may be working on other projects in
addition of yours
 If you want your projects to be finished in a timely manner, consistently follow up
with meeting members to ensure they are held accountable for their commitments

Record Minutes of Meeting

 One of the key requirements of any meeting is to record minutes
 Minute of meeting is an official record of the proceeding of the meeting that are
discussed, agreed and actioned
 Minutes help in understanding deliberations and decision taken in meeting. There is
no restriction on format or language for recording Minutes of meeting
 They provide participants with a tangible record of events resulting from the meeting
and sometimes photocopy is also taken.

Verify minutes

 Minutes of the meeting are often taken by a different person, than the
Chairperson
 Check for accuracy
 Check against personal notes taken
 Discuss differences with note taker
  To ensure accuracy, confirm minute meetings with another participant at the
meeting
 35

Sample 2.3
 36

Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Meetings

Do’s Don’ts

 Right people in the room X Flounder

 Thoughtfully schedule, consider X Digress

invitees everyone necessary, but stop
there X Go on a tangent

 Send reminder

 Start/end on time

 Follow the agenda

 Manage the discussion

 Shorter is better

 Summarize key decisions and next step

 Confirm action items

Conclusion

Conducting business meeting there are positive and negative sides:-

 Positive sides are: Meetings are empowering, Meeting are moral boosting, Develop work
skills and leadership.
 Negative sides are: Meeting may not have focus; Attendees may be unprepared.
 So, it is simply need to open to changing the way that meetings are conducting in your
organization. You may take leadership role, if necessary, to make your meetings work better.
 37

Bibliography

Book Title- 10 Steps to Successful Meetings

Author- ASTD

Publication- Cengage Learning India Private Limited

Published- 2011

Book Type- Business Strategy and Management

Number of Pages- 176 pages

https://in.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-a-meeting-agenda

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